Dare County Summary of Strategic Interviews (07/18/2016)

Transcription

1 The below tables represent a summary of the interviews conducted by NC State University for Dare County from April to July Feedback with similar responses was tallied to represent general feelings of a particular aspect of the county. Categories and attributes with the highest feedback are in red. The people interviewed and their respective organizations appear on the final page. Question 1. What do you see as assets (positive drivers) of the Dare County economy? 2. What are some ways to optimize the current Dare County economy (e.g. in areas of tourism, sports recreation, marine industries, second homes, retirement, and construction)? 3. What do you see as barriers to the county s economic growth in the near term? In the long term? Responses Clean beaches/environment (7) Tourism (6) College of the Albemarle (6) Water access (6) Engaged community (6) Good K-12 system (4) Healthcare/hospital (3) Maritime industry (3) CSI (2) Great quality of life Natural setting Park service Dependable energy Diverse population Continue support of inlets (7) Build sports recreation/hold events (7) Promote retirement possibilities (6) Support construction industry (4) Market hospital/healthcare options (3) Market community for telework options (2) Support and promote CSI (2) Market historical sites (2) Beach re-nourishment (2) Address living affordability (2) Attract naturalists Build long-term care facilities Expand tourism industry Develop maritime tourism industry Improve shoulder season Utilize commercial kitchen in off-season Fish processing facility Build a convention center Near term: Land availability (5) Skills gap for diverse industry (5) Seasonality of tourism industry (5) Cost of living (5) Lack of affordable housing (4) Lack of commercial airport (4) COA is unresponsive to industry needs (2) Coastal erosion (2) Lack of technology infrastructure Finish HWY 64 Labor shortage Lack of entertainment options Declining historical sites/events 1

2 4. What do you think are the solutions to the barriers described in question 3? 5. What are some ways to diversify the Dare County economy (e.g., attract new industry, foster entrepreneurship, build a creative economy)? Lack of collaboration between sports/rec department and tourism Ferry service Drug usage Long term: Sales and occupancy tax rates (3) Lack of consistency with building codes/cama (3) Cost of living (2) Climate change (2) Affordable housing Budgeting for economic development over time Lack of county-wide sewer system Lack of public transportation Workforce issues Bridge replacements Lack of investment funds Lack of educational resources Partner with neighboring counties (Currituck) (6) Lack of fulltime and cohesive economic development focus (3) Town collaboration (3) Affordable housing: SECU model Duplexes across county Look at Aspen and Cape Cod plans Property by the old dump Scan for empty individual lots Regional collaboration through Albemarle Commission Transportation/carpooling subsidies Promote retirement community Involve convention center stakeholders Consolidation individual town services Address sewer issue before federal government steps in Communicate with COA on needed programs Address access issues between recreation fields and facilities Currituck bridge Promote and develop broadband infrastructure (3) Incubator for start-ups (2) Promote arts community (2) Establish a revolving loan fund to start businesses (2) Promote telework (work anywhere) Healthcare industry and ancillary services Convention center/hotel Incentives for mixed-use development Provide lodging incentives for un-used houses in off-season Promote tourism events Promote/grow water sports Product testing for water based and wind based sports Promote CSI and COA as school destination 2

3 6. What CSI connections can you suggest for business development (e.g., attracting private companies, startup companies & entrepreneurs)? 7. What are collaboration/partnership opportunities for economic development initiatives? 8. Can you offer examples of any comparative communities (e.g., tourism) that may offer lessons for Dare s economic diversification? Clean/renewable energy (6) Aquaculture (3) Need student housing (3) Market CSI to rest of NC/region (2) Entrepreneur center Unbiased opinions for businesses and environmental groups Seafood industry sustainability Erosion/beach nourishment research Desalination companies Collaboration with Army Corp. of Engineers App developers to distill science to planners Neighboring counties/currituck Chamber of Commerce Albemarle Commission Wanchese Industrial park Home Builders Association Restaurant Association COA Southeast Virginia CSI ECU Private companies (Kitty Hawk Kites) Hampton Roads DC Myrtle Beach (cautionary tale) (3) Carteret County Swain County Hilton Head Asheville Eastern Virginia Maryland Portland, ME Charleston Bonita Springs, FL Daytona Beach Clearwater Sanibel Cape Cod Glouster, MA Martha s Vineyard Nantucket Gulfport, MS 3

4 9. Are there any other ideas you can offer relevant to Dare s economic development? Feel free to include any ideas even those that may be outside the box. 10. What further advice do you have for us as we move ahead on this project in Dare County? Trolley system (2) Ecotourism (2) Promote retirement community Attract a call center Attract the pharmaceutical industry Promote wind sports Aviation (expand airport) Expand seafood processing Medical device R&D Market maritime industry Bring in a four-year university Attract IT/software development Expand boardwalks Combine housing and rentals Include shoreline when thinking about land availability Focus on building a university/college environment Look at current regulations 4

5 Organization Dare County Contact 1. Dare County Commissioner Robert Woodard 2. Dare County Commissioner Wally Overman 3. Dare County Commissioner Jack Shea 4. Dare County Commissioner Warren Judge 5. Dare County Commissioner Allen Burrus 6. Dare County Commissioner Beverly Boswell 7. Dare County Commissioner Margarette Umphlett 8. Dare County Administration Bobby Outten 9. Dare County Administration David Clawson 10. Dare County Public Information Dorothy Hester 11. Manteo Mayor Jamie Daniels 12. Duck Mayor Don Kingston 13. Kill Devil Hills Mayor Sheila Davies 14. Kitty Hawk Mayor Gary Perry 15. Nags Head Mayor Bob Edwards 16. Southern Shores Mayor Tom Bennett 17. Manteo Town Manager Kermit Skinner 18. Chamber of Commerce Karen Brown 19. Outer Banks Visitors Bureau Lee Nettles 20. Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park Bob Peele 21. Coastal Studies Institute, Executive Director Nancy White 22. Coastal Studies Institute - Dir. Education & Outreach John McCord 23. Outer Banks Association of Realtors Christopher Nave 24. Dare County Restaurant Association Dan Lewis 25. Outer Banks Hospital Ronnie Sloan 26. Sentara Healthcare Jennifer McNinch 27. Kitty Hawk Kites John Harris 28. Hatteras Island Ocean Center Eric Kaplan 29. Albemarle Commission Cathy Davidson 30. College of the Albemarle Kandi Deitemeyer 31. College of the Albemarle Timothy Sweeney 32. UNC General Administration Leslie Boney 33. Outer Banks Community Foundation Lorelei Costa 34. Army Corp. of Engineers Jeff Waters 35. NC State Cooperative Extension Service Shannon Brooks 36. Elizabeth City State Small Business & Technology Dev. Ctr. (SBTDC) Mike Twiddy 37. Dare County NC Works Career Center Kenny Kee 38. Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative Susan Flythe 5